Africa

The Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) strongly condemns the arrest of
two of its members at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, today,
Thursday October 11, by armed police at the behest of the management of
the institution. The comrades are Taiwo Hassan Soweto, Secretary, DSM
OAU Branch and Coordinator, Education Rights Campaign (ERC), and
Olatunde Dairo, Public Relations Officer of Students Union, OAU Ile-Ife.

We demand their immediate and unconditional release

They were arrested after the authorities had unjustifiably closed down
the campus and ordered students to vacate halls of residence as early as
7am.

The crime of the arrested student leaders is their leading role in the
legitimate resolve of students to uphold their rights and interests.

The students of the university had on Tuesday October 9 held a massively
attended Congress where they resolved that they would embark on a
lecture boycott on Thursday and Friday October 17 and 18 to press home
the demands for release from imprisonment of Akiola Saburi, President
Students Union; hands off of student union by the university management
and improved living and learning conditions on the campus.

Akinola Saburi has been unjustly incarcerated at the Ilesha Prison since
August 1, 2007. Students also resolved to go to Osogbo on Monday October
15 to observe the court trial of Saburi which is due on that day.

The closure of the campus and arrest of the DSM members is attempt by
the management to forestall the popular/mass action the students had
planned for next week.

It will be recalled that the crisis started in the University late last
year after students democratically elected a radical leadership, with
Akinola Saburi as President and Olatunde Dairo as the PRO, defeating the
sponsored candidates of the management. Students chose their leadership
to ensure uncompromising defence of their rights and interests to
quality university education. On the contrary, the management had wanted
to impose a puppet leadership on the students in order to muzzle
divergent views or opposition to their anti-poor neo-liberal policies.

We condemn highhandedness and arbitrariness which the Professor Michael
Faborede led authorities have adopted as style of administration since
their appointment last year. This is the second time the university has
been closed down in less than one year for unjustifiable reason, besides
the regular recourse using to armed police whenever students embark on
legitimate action in defence of their rights and interests.

We call on Labour, teaching and non-teaching unions, human rights
groups, pro-masses organisations and individuals locally and
internationally to join us in the demands for the immediate and
unconditional release of Taiwo Hassan, Tunde Dairo and Akinola Saburi,
respect of rights to independent students’ unionism, improved learning
and living conditions, immediate re-opening of the campus and end to
culture of victimization in the university.

We also call for urgent protest letters be sent to:

Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

OAU Vice-Chancellor - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. & This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Nigerian Federal Ministry of Education at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Please note that copies of all protest letters sent should be made
available to the Democratic Socialist Movement (CWI, Nigeria) at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.